BOSUN'S CHAIR 2234
Adult Size Standard – Not for Use by Children
User Instruction Manual
4790/03-11-13
WARNING! Falling Hazard. Follow these general warnings to avoid a fall possibly resulting
in serious injury or death.
• Children do not t this chair and can easily slip out.
• Do not use this product for fall-arrest purposes. It is a working platform. Using bosun's chair for fall
arrest could fail to sufciently restrain a falling person.
• Alterations or misuse of this equipment or failure to follow these instructions could lead to a fall.
WARNING! Strictly follow all instructions to avoid potential hazards that may kill or hurt
you and others. See www.harken.com/manuals, for general warnings and instructions.
IMPORTANT
If you have questions on the use, care, or suitability of this equipment for your application, contact Harken Inc.
Please read these instructions carefully before using the equipment.
This manual may be modified without notice. See: www.harken.com/manuals for updated versions.
PLEASE SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
GENERAL Table of Contents
Parts 2
Applications 3
Training 3
Inspection 3-4, 7
Chair Fit 4
Attaching Halyards/Lifting Ropes 5, 8-9
Use 6, 8, 10
Sailboat Use 7-9
Industrial Use 10
Maintenance 11
Inspection Records 11
Warranty 12
Parts
1
2
3
4
7
6
1. Stainless steel triangle attachment points
2. High strength “seat belt” webbing
3. Ballistic nylon fabric throughout
4. Adjustable back support
5. D-rings and webbing loops for the
attachment of tools or parts
6. Extra-wide padded seat
7. Wide-mouth pockets on each side
8. Downhaul attachment on bottom of chair
5
8
2 Bosun's Chair — General 03/11/13
GENERAL Applications
This chair is designed to be used as a work positioning platform to ensure comfortable seating while suspended. It
must be used in conjunction with a separate full-body, fall-arrest harness. The bosun's chair and harness must each
have its own separate suspension system led and secured as instructed below. This chair is only to be used for
work purposes. Do not use this chair for sport.
WARNING: Do not use this product for fall-arrest purposes. Use of bosun's chair for fall-arrest could
fail to sufficiently restrain a falling person, possibly resulting in serious injury or death.
Limitations
Capacity: This system is designed for use by one person with a combined weight (clothing, tools, etc.) of no
more than 100 kg (220 lbs).
No Free Fall: A separate full-body, fall-arrest harness restraint system must be rigged so that no vertical
free fall is possible.
Training: This equipment must be used by persons trained and competent in its correct application and safe use.
If you are in doubt about the correct use of the bosun’s chair, have a rigging professional do the aloft work.
Training
It is the responsibility of the purchaser and user of this bosun's chair to assure that they are familiar with
the instructions; are trained in the correct care and use of the equipment; and are aware of the operating
characteristics, application limits, and consequences of its improper use.
Inspection
INSPECT BEFORE EACH USE
WARNING! Failure to perform inspection steps each time chair and hoisting equipment are used could
lead to a fall, possibly resulting in serious injury or death. Go through inspection check list below each
time chair is used.
Inspection should be recorded in inspection and maintenance log.
Inspection Check List
r Inspect the chair carefully for wear or abrasion to webbing and cut or
worn threads. See photo at right and Service section on Page 4.
r Inspect triangle attachment points carefully for signs of wear, fatigue,
or corrosion. Expose welded area to make sure it is secure.
r Inspect belt and buckle to ensure locking device is secure and unworn
and strap is correctly fastened.
See Service section on Page 4.
r Before going aloft, inspect all other equipment that will be used for
damage or wear. Inspect all halyards and standing rigging. Do not rely
on any equipment that is suspected of being worn, damaged, corroded,
needs replacement, or is out of date. If there is any doubt about the
condition of standing rigging at masthead, do not go aloft. Be especially
wary of going aloft on a boat with a furler that has had a halyard wrap
around top of stay.
Do not use chair if there are cut or worn threads.
WARNING! If wear or damage is detected, do not go aloft.
03/11/13 Bosun's Chair — General 3
GENERAL Inspection
Service
A competent person must inspect equipment frequently, at least every
12 months, and ALWAYS BEFORE USE.
Ensure product markings are still legible.
If wear or damage is detected, return to manufacturer for repair or replacement.
Any attempt to modify or repair equipment by user will void the warranty.
WARNING! Modifying, changing, or temporarily securing the
equipment to “get the job done” could lead to a fall.
If chair has been subjected to a severe shock load, it must be removed
from service and replaced.
WARNING! A chair that has been subjected to a shock load
can be severely weakened and subject to further deterioration
through normal use. Do not use the chair after a shock load.
Inspect Weld
Failure to replace such a chair may result in the chair breaking,
leading to a fall.
Chair Fit
Before using for first time, perform a comfort and adjustability test in a safe
place to ensure chair is correct size, has sufficient adjustment, and
has acceptable comfort level for intended use.
Weight should be centered on seat. Crotch strap must be used. Legs
must be on either side of crotch strap.
WARNING! Failure to use crotch strap can result in user slipping
out of chair and falling. Always use the crotch strap.
Adjust webbing buckles on back support and waist strap to ensure a snug,
comfortable fit.
Ensure locking tabs on waist buckle are fully snapped into place.
Ensure steel triangle attachment points are clear of clothing, and to front of body.
CORRECT
INCORRECT
Waist Strap
Crotch Strap
Waist strap inserted through crotch strap. Waist strap must be inserted through crotch
strap before it is fastened.
4 Bosun's Chair — General 03/11/13
GENERAL Attaching Halyards/Lifting Ropes
Always use two lifting ropes when going aloft, one attached to bosun's
chair and one attached to separate full-body harness.
WARNING! Both equipment and people can fail to secure a
suspended person—using only a single lifting rope greatly
increases risk of falling. Always use a separate lifting rope
attached to a separate full-body harness.
Do not depend on snap shackles; tie each lifting rope or use approved
carabiner, hook, or D-ring for industrial applications. Use both stainless
triangles using a secure locking knot. Secure unused snap shackle out of
the way so it does not catch.
WARNING! Snap shackles can open suddenly. Any shackle,
even stainless steel “D” shackle versions, are subject to stress
corrosion. Tie each lifting rope or use approved carabiner,
hook, or D-ring for industrial applications.
Shackles may have been stressed in other load
applications while sailing. Overloading is not
always apparent, especially when using highload stainless steel such as type 17-4. Stress
CORRECT
INCORRECT
corrosion in this material is only detectable
using dyes or X-ray imaging.
Do not depend on snap shackles; tie each
lifting rope using knot shown on pages 8-9 or
use approved carabiner, hook, or D-ring for
industrial applications.
Snap shackles can open suddenly.
Also any shackle is subject to stress
corrosion and may fail suddenly.
Always secure halyard or other attachment system to BOTH triangles.
Make sure steel triangles are seated flat in webbing
INCORRECT INCORRECTCORRECT
03/11/13 Bosun's Chair — General 5
GENERAL Attaching Halyards/Lifting Ropes
Do not tie halyard to D-rings or small webbing loops on side of chair.
INCORRECT
These are for suspending tools only.
DANGER! Supporting person on D-rings or webbing loops on side
of chair will cause rings or straps to fail, leading to a fall. Do not
use side straps for support!
Ensure halyards or lines are not tangled and do not trail or loop over any sharp
edges. If tangle or jam occurs at winch, use secondary halyard to hold person.
Additionally, suspended person must secure to mast or other suitable surface.
WARNING! If tangled line frees, halyard can suddenly let go,
leading to a fall. Suspended person must secure to mast while
freeing jam so there are two lifting ropes.
Use
Do not stand in chair when aloft.
WARNING! Standing or in any way getting out of chair position while hoisted, described on Page 4 under
Chair Fit, can lead to a fall. Always stay seated.
Make sure no one is below person working aloft.
Secure tools carefully to prevent dropping them and causing damage or injury.
WARNING! Tools and equipment are easily dropped, possibly
causing serious injury or death to those below hoisted person.
Keep people clear of area below chair.
If in doubt about correct use of bosun’s chair, contact rigging professional before going aloft. A rigging professional
can demonstrate correct use of equipment and help you avoid accidents.
6 Bosun's Chair — General 03/11/13
SAILING System Requirements
SAILING
Two suspension systems are required. When used for aloft rigging
separate full-body harness must be used along with bosun's chair.
Harness and bosun's chair must each have its own halyard led to
separate internal halyard sheaves as instructed below. Each halyard
must go to separate stopper and winch.
WARNING! Both equipment and people can fail to secure
a suspended person—using only a single halyard greatly
increases risk of serious injury or death. Use two halyards,
one to full-body harness.
Use only halyards with internal mast sheaves. Critical parts of externally
attached masthead blocks can wear, corrode, or crack. Because they
cannot be inspected easily, failure can happen suddenly and unexpectedly
CORRECT INCORRECT
Internal Halyard
WARNING! Do not use externally attached masthead blocks.
Always use internal halyards to avoid a fall.
Inspect
Inspect condition of all halyards to make sure all parts are in new condition. If necessary use trace lines to run
halyards out of mast to inspect. Inspect halyards for wear, fraying, or degradation from sun's UV rays. Replace
halyards showing any of these signs before going aloft. Use only halyards that are in new condition. If there is
any doubt about condition of halyard, do not use.
External Halyard
WARNING! Halyards that are frayed, worn, or degraded from UV damage can part suddenly, leading
to a fall. Use only halyards in new condition.
Inspect all stays and standing rigging for any signs of wear, fatigue, or damage. If boat is equipped with furler, know
history of stay inside furler. If there has been a halyard wrap, do not rely on stay to hold mast. It may be weakened
and not visible under foil.
WARNING! If working on mast with furler do not go aloft if there has been a halyard wrap that was
forced by trying to furl. Weight of being aloft can cause stay or connecting fittings to break, causing
mast to collapse, leading to a fall.
03/11/13 Bosun's Chair — Sailboat 7
SAILING Tying to Bosun's Chair/Use
SAILING
Tying
Always use two halyards when going aloft; one attached to bosun's chair, and one attached to separate full-body
harness. Tie each halyard using method shown below.
Use Figure 8 Follow-Through Knot commonly used by climbers. See www.harken.com/knots for further knot-tying resources.
WARNING! If you have any questions about how to tie halyards to chair/full-body harness using following
instructions do not go aloft. Knot failure can lead to a fall, possibly resulting in serious injury or death.
CORRECT
A
A
INCORRECT
Loop rope underneath and over top of itself. Do not run line over “A”.Come up from underneath “A” to make a
figure 8.
A
Make sure you have a figure 8 exactly as
shown above. Have a long tail as shown
8 Bosun's Chair — Sailboat 03/11/13
Go through both triangles and trace line
following figure 8.
SAILING Tying to Bosun's Chair
SAILING
Continue tracing figure 8.
Hoisting
When using halyards to hoist person aloft, ensure they are securely held and locked off. Always keep halyards wrapped
securely on winches. Halyards must be wrapped three or more times around winch and line secured in self-tailing
jaws. Stoppers must be closed when hoisting person aloft and when they hold someone in place for working.
WARNING! Do not rely solely on stoppers for holding person aloft.
Stoppers or clutches may slip suddenly, leading to a fall. Always keep
halyard wrapped on winch when using stopper.
Working Aloft
Do not drill through mast while suspended on halyard. Drill entering mast can
make contact with halyard and weaken it. Also see general use instructions.
WARNING! Drilling through mast can weaken internal halyards
causing them to break. Avoid drilling where halyards are led.
Lowering
When lowering a person, keep at least three halyard wraps on a primary and backup winch. Two people must
work together, one in charge of lowering using one winch, the other with line securely wrapped on backup winch.
To prevent line jams and
overrides, carefully align wraps on winch so that one does not overlap another. If jam
occurs, close stoppers. Use backup winch halyard to take up tension and free override or line jam. Have aloft
worker temporarily secure themself to mast. If lowering to new hoisted working position, carefully close
stoppers and keep halyards wrapped on winches and secured in self-tailing jaws.
Tightly cinch all four strands of rope exiting
the knot.
WARNING! Attempting to free jams on winch drum without stopper or second halyard can result in jam
suddenly freeing, leading to a fall. Suspended person must secure to mast while freeing jam so there
03/11/13 Bosun's Chair — Sailboat 9
are two lifting ropes.
INDUSTRIAL System Requirements
When bosun's chair is used in conjunction with fall-arrest system it must be
certified by the country where the product will be used.
Bosun's chair is only a working platform. It must be attached to a secondary
support system which meets the industrial safety standards of the country where
the product will be used.
Fall-arrest system must consist of a full-body harness worn as the main bodyholding device. It must be connected to a shock-absorbing lanyard and approved
anchor device.
Connectors (hooks, carabiners, and D-rings) must be capable of supporting loads
specified by the industrial standards of the country where the product will be used.
Standards
This equipment has been tested to European standard — EN813:2008.
Use
If using other anchor devices or anchor points, ensure they are certified to EN795
standards, and are positioned as closely as possible to directly overhead. Noncertified anchor points may look secure however they may be cracked, rotten,
or corroded, or their fastening method may not be secure, especially if device
Inspect
was designed for other purposes.
WARNING! Noncertified anchor points may give way suddenly
leading to a fall, possibly resulting in serious injury or death.
Use only certified anchor points.
Inspect all connections and fasteners to make sure they are secure. Especially
pay attention to screw-pin fasteners.
WARNING! If screw-pin fastener loosens, connection can let go,
leading to a fall. Always inspect and secure all connecting fasteners.
Rescue
When using this equipment, employer must be trained and have a rescue plan and means to implement it.
The plan must communicated to users, authorized persons, and rescuers.
Suspension Trauma
Make sure plan includes training to treat victim suffering from suspension trauma and reflow syndrome.
WARNING! Rescued worker may appear fine after being lowered. However, failure to properly treat
victim after an arrest from even a relatively short fall can lead to reflow syndrome and death. Research
and follow first aid practices for suspension trauma.
Shock Load
If bosun's chair has been subjected to a shock load, chair must be removed from service immediately and
destroyed by user or an authorized person.
WARNING! A chair that has been subject to a shock load can be severely weakened and subject to
further deterioration through normal use. Do not use the chair after a shock load. Failure to replace
such a chair may result in chair breaking, leading to a fall.
10 Bosun's Chair — Industrial 03/11/13
GENERAL Maintenance
Wash with fresh cold water to remove any dirt and salt water.
Allow to dry naturally, away from direct heat.
Store in a dry, ventilated place, away from direct sunlight to avoid corrosion, mold/mildew damage, and UV degradation.
Inspection Records
A record must be kept for each component, subsystem, and system, with following details (see example record log below).
It is the responsibility of the user organization to provide the record and to enter onto the record the details required.
EQUIPMENT RECORD
Product:
Model/Type
Description
Serial Number
2234
Manufacturer
HARKEN
Purchase Date Date First Put Into Use
Other important information (i.e. document number):
Date
Reason for Entry
(Periodic exam or repair)
Bosun's Chair
Address
N15W24983 Bluemound Rd., Pewaukee, WI
USA 53072
EXAMINATION/REPAIR HISTORY
Defect notes, repairs carried out, and
other important information
Name and signature of
competent person
Tel/Fax/Email/Website
(262) 691-3320 / (262) 701-5780
harken@harken.com / www.harken.com
Date of next periodic
examination
03/11/13 Bosun's Chair — General 11
04
97653 23436
Worldwide Limited Warranty
COVERAGE. HARKEN® warrants that each HARKEN product,
when properly used and maintained, will be free from defects in
material and workmanship from the date of receipt of the product
by the final customer.
THE LIMITED WARRANTY. This limited warranty applies to all
Harken products purchased. The sole and exclusive remedy
under this LIMITED WARRANTY for original defects in materials or workmanship of a HARKEN product shall be the repair or
replacement, at HARKEN’s sole discretion, of the defective part or
component, in accordance with the terms of this warranty.
WARRANTOR. For products originally sold in the Unites States,
the limited warranty for the products is supplied by HARKEN,
INC.. For products originally sold in the European Union, the
limited warranty for the products is supplied by the dealer who
sold the product through the Harken Distributors in that country.
For products originally sold in the rest of the world, the limited
warranty for the products is supplied directly by the Harken
Distributors in that country. When "HARKEN” is mentioned
throughout this Limited Warranty, it refers to the entity as defined
in this paragraph.
OWNER – NON-TRANSFERABLE WARRANTY. This warranty is
made by HARKEN with the original purchaser of the product and
does not extend to any third parties. The rights of the original
purchaser under this warranty may not be assigned or otherwise
transferred to any third party.
WARRANTY TERM. The LIMITED WARRANTY covers any
original defects in material or workmanship manifested within
12 months of the date of receipt of the product by the final customer.
NOT COVERED. The LIMITED WARRANTY does not apply to, nor
shall HARKEN have any liability or responsibility for, damages or
expenses relating to defects caused by misuse, abuse, failure to
install, use, maintain, or store the HARKEN product as specified
in the warranty booklet, service booklet, manuals, catalogue, or
other literature available from HARKEN.
The LIMITED WARRANTY does not apply to, and neither shall
HARKEN have any liability or responsibility in respect to, damages, or expenses relating to:
• defects in material or workmanship that did not exist when the
product was first delivered;
• defects in material or workmanship that are manifested outside
the warranty period;
• defects which are not reported to HARKEN within sixty (60)
days of discovery;
• a product that has been altered or modified from factory
specifications;
• damage or deterioration of cosmetic surface finishes, including
cracking, crazing, discoloration, or fading;
• accidents, misuse, abuse, abnormal use, improper use, lack of
reasonable or proper maintenance or storage;
• installation, service, or repairs improperly performed, or replace
ment parts or accessories not conforming to HARKEN’s
specifications;
• use exceeding the recommended and permitted limits or
loads of the product and/or the product on which the product
is installed;
• normal wear or deterioration occasioned by the use of the
product or its exposure to the elements;
• ropes, lines, buckles, and webbing;
• loss of time, loss of use, inconvenience, travel expense, costs
related to procuring any substitute product, transportation costs,
any incidental or consequential damages arising out of the non use of the product, or compensation for inconvenience or loss
of use while the product is being repaired or otherwise not
available, or other matters not specifically covered hereunder;
• the costs to remove, disassemble or reinstall the product;
• removal, storage, and replacing of the product on which the
product has been installed, even where this is necessary to carry
out the warranty service.
The LIMITED WARRANTY does not cover, nor shall HARKEN
have any liability or responsibility in respect to, damages or
expenses relating to the following products and/or components:
• washers and spacers;
• ball bearings, roller bearings, thrust bearings.
Online warranty registration. Registering this product online at www.harken.com is critical to receive product updates or any recall
information. Harken will not sell this information or use it for solicitation.
Please visit: http//www.harken.com/dealers/dealers.php
for an up-to-date list of Harken dealers and distributors
Printed in USA 4790 03-11-13
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